Field of the Invention
This invention relates to improvements in an apparatus used with free weights. More particularly, the present weight bar locking mechanism creates a locking mechanism that helps maintain a bar in a parallel relationship to the ground and prevents the weight from being unintentionally displaced.
Description of Related Art Including Information Disclosed under 37 CFR 1.97 and 1.98
Many people exercise using weights to increase their strength, for general conditioning and or for rehabilitation. While some strength training equipment use cables or other resistance means, there are still a large number of people that prefer to use free weights connected with a rod. Some exercises use a straight rod while others use a curl bar that can take a variety of spline shaped bends that allow the wrists of the person lifting the weight to be in a more natural pronate or supination position.
Because the curl bar includes multiple bends, the bar is often difficult to balance when the curl bar is placed in or on a stanchion. While the curl bar can be placed on supports placed near the weights, in use a person performing lifts of a weight bar generally leans forward and lifts the weight from a central location where balancing the curl bar on a narrow support can be difficult. A number of patents and or publications have been made to address these issues. Exemplary examples of patents and or publication that try to address this/these problem(s) are identified and discussed below.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,727,764 issued on Mar. 17, 1998 to James P. Angeles discloses a Self-Locking Quick Release Bracket. The bracket pieces are separate and are located on separate stanchions. The locking mechanism on each stanchion retains the weight at an extreme end where the weights are secured to the lifting bar. This patent does not provide a locking mechanism that is located at the center of the bar where a user places and lifts the curl bar. The locking bar simply holds the weight to prevent the weight from being accidentally knocked off the stanchion. The bracket is tilted to remove the weight from the bracket.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,447,433 issued on Sep. 10, 2002 to Gilbert Reyes discloses a Weight-Bar Support Structure with Retractable Arms. As the weight is removed the arms retract to allow the weight to be lifted from the support structure. Without lifting the bar, the weight can't be removed from the support structure. The support structure is also located at the opposing ends of the lifting bar as opposed to being located in the center between the weight plates. This patent requires movement or sliding of the bar to remove the bar from the support structure as opposed to a locking mechanism that is rotated to allow the bar to be lifted or removed from a central position.
What is needed is a weight bar locking mechanism that retains the curl bar or straight bar in a horizontal locked position until the lock is released to allow a user to exercise. Once the exercise is complete the curl bar or straight bar is placed onto the locking mechanism where the curl bar or straight bar is retained and locked against accidental dislodging.